Donald Houston looks at levels of unemployment in Greater Birmingham and how the region compares with other metropolitan areas in the UK. This article was written for the Birmingham Economic Review 2023. The review is produced by City-REDI / WMREDI, the University of Birmingham and the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce. It is an in-depth … Continue reading “Unemployment in Greater Birmingham and the UK”
Author: Donald Houston
London Wins Again – The Debacle of the UK’s High-speed Rail ‘strategy’
Donald Houston and Rebecca Riley discuss the scrapping of HS2 and the significant economic impact on the North of the UK. This blog was originally written for the Birmingham Business School Blog. A branding failure HS2 has always suffered from a branding failure. HS2 sounds rather anodyne and the ‘2’ reminds those north of London … Continue reading “London Wins Again – The Debacle of the UK’s High-speed Rail ‘strategy’ ”
Reflections on an Academic’s Secondment to the Office for National Statistics (ONS)
Donald Houston discusses his recent secondment at the ONS. What did he learn whilst he was there and what did the ONS gain from having an academic on board? I am a labour market researcher and a long-time user of ONS data. I have always been impressed at the quality and precision of the labelling … Continue reading “Reflections on an Academic’s Secondment to the Office for National Statistics (ONS)”
The UK Regional Economy and the Uneven Impacts of Brexit
Donald Houston and Iain Docherty highlight that insufficient attention has been paid to the regional implications of economic policy choices such as Brexit, which has hampered efforts to address place-based inequalities. This blog was originally posted on the UK in a Changing Europe website. For almost a century, the UK policy system has – with … Continue reading “The UK Regional Economy and the Uneven Impacts of Brexit”
It’s the Pandemic, Stupid. Understanding Rising Economic Inactivity in the UK.
Donald Houston discusses research undertaken with colleagues at the ONS on economic inactivity in the UK. This blog is part of a series looking at the UK Labour Market. See also: – Why are the Over-50s Leaving the Workforce?- Labour Market Flows and Future Participation Flows – What Are the Current Challenges in the UK … Continue reading “It’s the Pandemic, Stupid. Understanding Rising Economic Inactivity in the UK.”
Meet Donald Houston, City-REDI/WMREDI’s New Professor of Regional Economic Development
National data are wrong everywhere. This is why a regional approach is essential to understand the economy. More of this later. First to say is that I’m delighted to have joined City-REDI in April 2023 as a Professor of Regional Economic Development. My mission is to support and contribute to City-REDI’s rigorous and relevant research … Continue reading “Meet Donald Houston, City-REDI/WMREDI’s New Professor of Regional Economic Development”